In my early working years, there were times when I had to work and couldn’t make it back for the holidays. Then there were the years when my kids were young and the pressure of cooking a halfway decent meal for the extended family was the last thing I needed.

In those days, we didn’t have the luxury of meals that we could order in or have sent to someone far away who couldn’t make it home for the holidays.

I mean, where were we going to have a hickory-smoked turkey breast, lobster scampi puffs, French baguette with rosemary peppercorn dip, butternut squash, green beans almondine and a decadant pecan pie without slaving for hours in the kitchen?

Or have a spiral sliced ham, spicy lamb skewers, spanakopita (traditional Greek appetizer), scalloped potatoes, ratatouille and a cranberry pear tart appear from thin air, for that matter, huh?

But now we can order a gourmet feast online from ArtikoChef.com and have it delivered to your door. From now through November 30, 2008, click here and use the coupon code - OCT08DISC10FEAST - to enjoy 10% off gourmet 3-course dinner feasts.

If you’re planning a romantic Thanksgiving Dinner for 2, your order will come with free truffles and candles during this same period from now through November 30, 2008. Just click here and use the coupon code - freetruffles_candles.

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I don’t know about you but with the busy days just before the holiday season, I get really stressed up having to cook dinner whether it’s just a few of us or if we’re having the in-laws or outlaws .

Quite frankly, I’d really rather order a meal to be delivered than cook up a storm myself. I think sometimes spending a bit of money is well worth the stress we put ourselves through.

Gazing at the food Gourmet Station offers to deliver has me drooling. I’m surprised at how inexpensive their feasts of mouth-watering ribs and steaks, soups, desserts and even a Cajun 4-course meal are.

How heavenly to have someone else do the cooking, deliver the meal to my house and I don’t have a lift a finger!

Whether it’s a deluxe gourmet meal for your family, or a gift certificate for someone who can’t make it to dinner, or simply a presentable corporate gift, go see if you can pick something out at Gourmet Station.

From November 27 - December 2, 2008, you can enjoy 20% off all their products. Click here and use the coupon code - BLACKFRIDAY - to enjoy the offer.

While I’m still on the topic of rice art, I thought I’d quickly post the photos I took last night of this beautiful peacock made entirely of rice grains.

Cool, huh? I just stood there and gazed in wonder. The artwork is simply amazing. I don’t think I would have the patience to do this .

The tail is made up of real peacock feathers laid across another piece of rice art on the floor. Just look at the colors! I love the black and white part.

I wonder what they do with all the rice grains after they dismantle the display. I hope they put it to good use, like feed it to the birds or something.

Even if you don’t celebrate Deepavali, or Divali, the Hindu festival of lights, you have to love its happy colors. That’s really my favorite thing about this festival, and guess what, it’s today!!! Happy Deepavali to all who are celebrating.

First off, I’m a real sucker for beautiful rice art displays such as this. This festive floor carpet is made entirely of colored rice.

I took these photos in the daytime so the candle stands are empty and not lighted up. At night, the display is even prettier.

Anyhow, here’s a close-up so you can see the lovely grains of rice.

I’ve seen the ‘artists’ put together insanely intricate designs by painstakingly scooping out handfuls of colored rice and trailing them across the floors of malls. Amazing!

It’s hard not to love Deepavali when there are so many different types of muruku calling out to me at the grocery store, ya know !

Muruku is an Indian crunchy snack made with dhall flour and fragrant Indian spices, pressed through different shaped molds and deepfried.

I bought two types this time - the star muruku (left) which is a pretty star shape, and the omom muruku (right) which reminds me of, um, a rat’s tail?

I bought two huge bags of each and mixed them up in a big airtight container. My kids eat them as a TV snack and they even have a box of it in my car when we go out .

It’s one of those crunchies that once you get started, it’s so hard to stop ! So here’s to muruku time!!

My neighbor, and then my aunt, came over yesterday with some bachang for me. Yippee!! What can I say, I have two wonderful women who spoil me to the max with their yummy food ?

Bachang or joong in Cantonese is made of glutinous rice and wrapped in dried leaves. I get my free supply of rice dumplings, courtesy of my neighbor and my aunt, every year for the Dumpling Festival (which is today).

I wish I could teach you how to make them but I’m pretty clueless myself. Sadly, wrapping the dumpling is an art I’ve never mastered. It looks easy but it takes a lot of patience and skill to get it right!

I’ve helped my aunt wrap the dumplings many times. Try getting the rice and fillings packed (yes, without spilling a drop) and folded into dried leaves shaped into triangles!

Yes, they must be wrapped just tight enough so they won’t break apart when you boil them but not so tight that they lose their triangular shape. I’m definitely dumpling-challenged !

So I have to rely on these nice women to spoil me with their delicious homemade bachang. Er, I’ve almost never bought the commercial ones. Too much scary news about some being tested and found to contain excessive amounts of boric acid and who knows what else!

Fresh, homemade ones always taste better and are generously packed with filling. Like these ones here are filled with small pieces of pork, Chinese mushrooms, chestnuts and salted egg yolk.